After War
by sasuXnaruXChan
Summary: This story takes place six years after the war ended. Naruto and Hinata are about to celebrate their 5 years anniversary. But since the appearance of a mysterious man with red eyes Naruto isn't himself anymore. Will his relationship with Hinata stand or will he find his long, lost, best friend? SasuNaru, Yaoi, a little NaruHina.
1. 1 Prologue

_prologue_

Naruto and Killer Bee defeated the ten-tailed. Obito was killed by the kages.

The kages suggested to keep the alliance intact. 

"You will never know when someone tries to make peace again on this way. We must stay strong." Those were the words from the Forth Raikage.

"We must protect the next generations from this amount of pain." Tsunade spoke together with Gaara, man am I glad that he is fine ^^.

"All these young man know how important it is to have friends. We have witnessed the true strength of friendship and loyalty." The Tsuchikage said without standing up from his chair, it would be a miracle if he would still be walking in 10 years.

"We know that we can be strong together. We know that not every country will be happy to see us stay together forever. But we will do anything to prevent something like this happening again!" The Mizukage said well sitting on her chair, She was badly wounded in war. So after all these years, there is still an alliance between Cloud, Rock, Sand, Mist and Leaf.

Tsunade didn't want Naruto to become Hokage, just because she wanted to be sure that the alliance wouldn't become a problem after war. And because she wanted to stay kage for as long as possible for her. Thanks to all the wounded people she had been using her chaka a lot and that was having some bad effects on her body.

Lets say that eighty procent of the rookie nine is currently a jonin. Naruto finally became a chuunin after participating in a chuunin examen for , well… for stronger and older gennins. He enjoyed it a lot. I think he was the youngest. And Naruto had some dates with a cute girl, I guess He really never know she loves him. Hinata is not so shy anymore. So... Well She just asked him. And he said yes. Isn't that lovely.

And Sasuke.. Well let me just tell you that he hasn't been seen since the moment Obito died, and if someone did see him… Well I think Sasuke took care of them pretty well…

An atempt to take care that the ten-tailed will not be used again, the alliance resealed all of the byuu's. All the byuu's were sealed on a place only know by the current 5 kages, Kurama and Gyūki were extracted from Bee and only difference between the new sealing from them was that when Bee or Naruto would get into trouble, they could return to their hosts. The mizukage found this sealing, between old sealing scrolls from an extinct family from the water country.

All of this happened six years ago. Konoha is rebuild and there was no country who tried to make war. People started talking more. The world has become softer. The world of the Shinobi has been changed. /u

_End prologue_


	2. 2 Confusion

It is a beautiful winter morning. To be exact, it was 22 January, 6 o'clock and it was minus 17 Degrees Celsius.

Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru just walked into the village after a night of guarding by a farming town nearby. They said they had seen a rogue ninja around. Others were saying it was the dead, because it had red eyes.

The fact that some of them saw red eyes made Naruto interested. Though Kakashi and Iruka said not to pay too much attention. It could be a transformation to lure Naruto out the village. He didn't really listen to them because as soon as Tsunade had a guarding mission for the small town, he took it.

"Next time you want to take a night guarding mission with me, just take care that you have slept. Because I really don't like it that you fell asleep! You idiot! Those rogue ninja's could have killed you!" Kiba said as he narrowed his eyes. Wroof! Roef! Grrrr! Akamaru barked at Naruto while showing his teeth .

'_Jeesh.. I couldn't help it. Hinata made me work pretty hard it the house. We painted the complete inside. And we moved al her stuff in today…'_

"Sorry but I was really tired and I couldn't sleep. And even if they would have attacked me, I still have Kurama guarding over me every night." Naruto said as he puts on his goofy smile. I just don't know where he is making such a big problem of. Nothing happened. There was no rogue ninja. They confirmed it, Kiba with his nose and Naruto used sage-mode.

"Yeah, but what if Kurama's chakra was to slow and you were dead before it arrived? Well, what would you expect me to tell Hinata, Tsunade, Konohamaru, Sakura and what about all the kids from the academy who look up to you? Do you want me to tell them: Well sorry but he just fell asleep there and I thought that he would be fine?!" Kiba was really worried about Naruto.

'_It was like Naruto didn't care anymore. Not about the villagers, his dream to become Hokage, his friends and if it wasn't enough, it seemed like he didn't care about his own life. There must be a way to wake him up..'_ Kiba thought as they walked to Tsunade.

Secretly Naruto had hoped to find Sasuke at the town. He missed him. He had so much questions for him, questions only Sasuke could answer. It didn't matter what everybody said, Sasuke had a reason to come to the battle field, He had a reason to join war. And Naruto was sure it had nothing to do with his status as rogue ninja.

'_It felt, as if Sasuke came there to help me out. To take care of his scardy cat, his blond idiot. But Sasuke would never admit it. Not in front of the entire army. Maybe he was there, maybe he was in that town. But he just went away because he didn't want people to find it out. Maybe he came back to the fire country to search for the place he can call home. But I will never find out, if Sasuke doesn't want to be found, you will really not find him.'_

It felt like Naruto was drifting away from Konoha in his thoughts. It felt like he was back at the battlefield. Back to when his friend was with him. Fighting at his side, protecting the same thing. The most precious thing they possessed in their lives.

" Oi~, Naruto.. Something wrong with you? You look so down.." Kiba looked at the blond with a worried face. It could have been the face of Konohamaru after Naruto returned from war.

"Ehh.. No, euh.. I'm fine." Naruto sad while putting on a fake smile. "I'm just a little disappointed that we couldn't see the person himself. But further there is nothing wrong. "

They walked into Tsunade's office. "We are here to give you a report, Hokage-sama." As he waits for Tsunade to look up from the paperwork on her desk.

"You can just tell me if something happened. If not than we can see what we will do tonight." Tsunade said without taking her eyes of the papers.

"We didn't see him, nor did we found any traces in order to prove that he has been there." Naruto says , Kiba turned his head towards Naruto and added : "But there was an old camp, only 15 minutes walking from the town. It is not sure who has stayed there. So, I don't think we can see that as good evidence."

Tsunade looked at the two and she saw that they really wanted to find someone there. So did she. She wanted to know who was staying near that town, why he did that and with how many persons they were. It was not only to find Sasuke, it was also to protect the people from the fire country.

"I will send someone there for the day. If they report anything strange, can I count on the three of you to find out if there is someone there? Not a guarding mission. It will be an investigation, you will find evidence, report it to me so I can take care that an ANBU-squad is ready. Am I clear?" Tsunade said with a serious look on her face.

It wasn't the first time she sent Naruto and Kiba on an investigation mission. They could work really good together if they both had the same motive.

"Yes, ma'am" They said in unison and Akamaru barked assent.

There appeared a barely visible smile at Tsunade's face as she said: "Good. Dismissed!"

As Naruto and Kiba walked out Kiba said " Say hi to Hinata from me. I will come to help painting the back of the house in the afternoon so you will have no excuse to say you were too busy." Kiba smiled and walked home with Akamaru, leaving Naruto alone to walk back.

Back to the house he and Hinata lived in together. '_After war Hinata's father offered them the old house from his grandfather. It was a big house with a whopping garden. He still couldn't believe it was now their house_.'

Without noticing Naruto had already walked all the way back home. He quietly opened the front door, trying not to wake Hinata. He walks in and puts out his shoes. While walking to the bedroom, Naruto notices the light from the backroom.

They had a little room at the back of the house to look outside, they always sat there when it was rainy. The mountains behind the garden looked beautiful with the rain, that was something they agreed on.

Instead of walking straight to the light, like everyone would do, Naruto ignores it and walks to the bedroom. He slowly opens the door, knowing that Hinata wasn't there, but he didn't want to make too much noise. The moment he sees the empty bed, Naruto puts the light on and walks to the closet. He opens it and gets some clean clothes.

He looks at the division of the shelves. Hinata had most of the shelves, Naruto never had a lot of clothes, that was something he finds superfluous.

' _You didn't need a lot, just enough the make it through the week. But Hinata was buying some new shirts for him, constantly telling him he needs a little bit more fancy clothes for parties. Not that he would ever go to them._'

Naruto started to undress. His shirt was al sticky from the rain, mud and sweat. So where his jeans, but he didn't take those off yet. He walks to the big mirror next to the closet. He turns around and looks at his back. Sasuke and he had a small fight after war, just before he disappeared. Sasuke gave him a scar just underneath his right shoulder. It didn't look ugly, it looks cool. At least that is what Hinata and Sakura keep telling him. He thought of it as a memento of Sasuke. It wasn't a big scar, but it was big enough for Naruto to always see it. As he walks away from the mirror he puts on his shirt and starts to see if there were some sweatpants of him lying in the closet.

All dressed up he walked out of the bedroom and starts to walk to the backroom, where he found Hinata sitting in her red negligée with some tea.

"Welcome home Naruto-kun" Hinata says with a smile as she pours in some tea for him.

Naruto looks at her, she went up early just to be there for him when he got home. She did that always, even when he told her to stay in bed. She wouldn't listen because she knows just how much Naruto loves it when someone is home waiting for him. But every time he looked at her when he got home, it wasn't what he wanted. She wasn't the person he wanted to see every time he got back home. Of course he loves Hinata, if what he feels is love at least.

Naruto stops thinking about it and sits down next to her, gives her a hug and says: "I'm home, Hinata."

Hinata gives him a kiss on his cheek and asks: "How was the mission? Did you guys find anything?"

"Well we did find something, but it wasn't enough to start a search.." Naruto says as he reaches out for his cup of tea.

"You really believe that Sasuke is back, don't you?" Hinata says with no emotions, not in her voice and not in her face. "Well, Naruto? Do you really believe it?" She says as she looks at Naruto.

Naruto takes a sip from his tea and looks at Hinata's face. There is really no emotion. "Well.." Naruto starts and takes another sip from his tea. "I believe he has some unfinished business here in Konoha. I believe that that's the reason he came back."

"But he is **not** back! You haven't seen him right?" Hinata said, she sounded irritated.

"We didn't see him, but I'm sure it was him!" Naruto said with a slightly raised voice. "Did you sense him? Or did you find something that belongs to him? Did you find a note that said: 'Sasuke's to do list. Number 1. Finish my business in Konoha' ?" The last what she just said sounded very mockingly.


	3. 3 Is it Love?

Part 2 Is it love?

"Hinata, stop it! I just know it was him.. The camp we found felt really comfortably, like it was a piece of Konoha." He saw Hinata's eyes, they look sad. As if he had said something that made him sound like a complete jerk.. "I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have yelled at you." Naruto turned his head towards Hinata, who doesn't say a word.

There was an awkward silence for a while. The two of them staring at the colour changing sky, drinking their tea.

"Ehm.. Naruto?" Hinata says softly. Naruto looks at Hinata, who is nervously playing with her fingers. You could clearly see that she didn't mean to make a fight. Her eyes were filled with emotions.

"Why do you wish it too be him? He gave you nothing but pain.." Hinata turns towards him and grabs his hand. " You don't need him, you got us. Everyone in Konoha, they all care about you. We won't try to hurt you. So why…. Why wish for him?" A single tear rolls down her face.

"Hinata.." Naruto says as he lays his hand on her cheek. " He is my friend, maybe even more. And.." Naruto looks into Hinata's eyes. He sees pain. It is like he is missing some of his own emotions, like he doesn't know what to feel, and for who. "I just want to know why he helped us. That's it. Nothing more. I won't leave, I won't get hurt. You won't get hurt."

He leans in and gives Hinata a gentle kiss. Not expecting to receive a kiss back, Naruto pulls back. But right before their lips stop touching, Hinata answers. She throws her arms around Naruto's neck , and clamps with her legs around his waist.

Naruto strokes through her soft, long hair. Hoping to find a feeling for her, hoping that he finds passion in their kiss. Naruto softly bites in Hinata's lower lip, asking for permission to come inside, which she answers quickly.

_There was no doubt that she wants me. She loves me…. Then, why.. why do I feel nothing… There are no feelings here.. not from my side.. She has the passion.. but that's not it.. Why am I not feeling shocked by this kiss… Why am I not enjoying this._

Their tongues were exploring each other's mouths. Hinata releases her arms and starts removing Naruto's shirt. Naruto moves his hands to the clasp from Hinata's negligée. They both stop for a moment. They both move backwards a bit and as they move, Hinata takes her chance and removes Naruto's shirt.

Naruto pushes Hinata on her back, leaning over her, but not doing a thing. No kiss, no teasing, no touching, he just hung over her, looking at her and feeling nothing for the girl. It was weird, they were together since somewhere in war, since that one moment he felt like she was the one. But lately, like the last two months, he felt like he missed something in his life.

Naruto moves back. Not knowing what to say nor to do. He puts on his shirt and walks to the bedroom leaving Hinata open-eyed, she did not know what just happened.

_Did I do something wrong? Did I go to fast? .. No… We did this before.. What is wrong with him? Normally he would not know how to stop. Did something happened between him and Kiba? Why is he acting so weird the last months?_

Hinata stands up and brings the teapot and cups to the kitchen. She looks out the window.

_I can't continue lying.. The long I keep lying, the more I will hurt her…_ Naruto thought as he laid down on the bed with his hands behind his head.

_What is it that I miss? Who left me? What left me?_

Naruto stared at the lamp. He never liked this lamp.

_It didn't gave a lot of light, so you could never have a nice and bright room… Why did she like this lamp so much, She would not even let me put a new light bulb in it because she was scared that I would break it._

Naruto face palms himself _ … Why am I thinking about a lamp! I should try to find out what I miss or.._

Naruto turns on his left side. He got an idea of who he might miss. _Someone came back in to the picture a few months ago. The mysterious man with red eyes. Sa-_

"Naruto, are you hiding something? You are not .. well, **you **anymore." Hinata says. She continues to walk into the bedroom.

Naruto was so busy finding out who he missed he didn't even noticed Hinata coming.

"I'm not hidi-" He tries to answer to Hinata but she interrupts him.

"You are not you, so there is something wrong. You are acting like Jiraiya died again. Like you lost everything you ever cared about left your life!"

_She was right. After we didn't hear anything at all about Sasuke for months. I thought he was dead. And after hearing that someone with red eyes was nearby, I was so sure it was Sasuke. There were no words to describe my happiness._

"Naruto! Answer me! Who is it? Who do you truly love?" Hinata was crying. He had already hurt her for months, if his behaviour was like this all the time.

"Hinata….." Naruto gets up from the bed and looks at Hinata.

_Right now, the darkness from this room is how we feel. I didn't want to hurt her, but I did. And she.. She lost the one she loves. She loses him to a guy…_

Naruto walks to Hinata as he says " I don't know who it is. But.. This.. what is between us.." He stops for a while and reaches out for her.

"No!" Hinata pushes him away from her. "There is nothing between us! There can only be something between two persons, when they both feel it! And you don't feel it!"

She runs out the room. Naruto stands in the room, alone, in the darkness.

_Should I go after her? Talk with her? I don't know what I should do…_

Naruto leans with his head against the windowpane and looks at the backyard.

_Where would he be right now? Isn't it too cold to stay all night out, in the rain, the cold wind and no hiding place?_

Raindrops were sliding over the window as Naruto's mind kept thinking about Sasuke.


	4. Your Lover

Part 3 'Your lover'

10:45 AM

Birds are chirping, the sun shines through the clouds. And behind the bedroom window, Naruto has fallen asleep on the bed.

Hinata walks into the bedroom and lays a note on the pillow next to Naruto. Naruto mumbles in his sleep. " I love you…" The words she never heard him say, not with such passion. Without even looking at him she walks away, leaving the bedroom door open. As she walks out the front door she says : "bastard..."

" Why are you here? I thought I would never see you again!" Naruto says as he walks up to his friend.

Sasuke sits next to a fire in front of a cave.

"Idiot. Why would you never see me again, I'm not someone who leaves his friends behind. At least I hope so." Sasuke says and points next to him. Naruto sat down next to him. His eyes wanted to have the answers. And Sasuke knew that.

"I still had some things to do here in Konoha. Some things that should be done. I think it is only logic for the elders to clear Itachi's name. He didn't do anything wrong…" Sasuke pokes with a stick in the flames to prevent them from going out.

"That is it? I could have done that for you. I mean.. Not that you don't have the rights on doing that by yourself. But they probably listen better to m-" Naruto couldn't end his sentence. And he didn't mind the reason why.

Sasuke's lips are touching his lips. They kissed each other before, even twice… But this time, it feels different. It feels different from the kisses Naruto had with Hinata. This one feels better than all the kisses he ever had.

Sasuke softly bites on Naruto's lower lip, asking for permission to come inside, which he was granted quickly. Naruto opens his mouth, letting the raven's tongue explore his mouth.

Naruto moans softly. Sasuke breaks the kiss.

"You kissed back." Sasuke says surprised.

Naruto blushes and looks at Sasuke. '_Did he expect me to push him away? Then….. Why did he kiss me?'_

"Yeah… I did… Is that wrong?" Naruto had no idea what Sasuke wanted.

Sasuke's facial expression changes. He seems mad. Like in war.

Sasuke stands up and walks into the cave. Naruto followed him with his eyes. He disappears into the darkness. There was no sound. The flames go out. It starts to rain.

Naruto looks up, but sees no clouds.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screams. There is no one who answers him.

Naruto stands up and hears a noise coming out of the cave.

He runs into the cave as he screams "Sasuke! Talk to me!" He runs towards the darkness. He runs and runs.

When he turns around there is no light anymore. He is too far away from the entrance.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screams. He doesn't move from his spot, he tries to catch his breath.

"damn it! Why did I kiss back… Why did you run away Sasuke.." Naruto says softly as he sits on the floor.

_ 'What is wrong with me…. Why did I run after him… into a cave!_

Naruto buries his face in his hands. A tear runs over his face. It was quit, but then out of nowhere Naruto heard something.

A loud rumbling noise and a deep voice.

" Why are you sitting in the darkness… You are the one who should be in the light."

Naruto looks up. He can't see a thing.

"Sasuke!"

Naruto sits up.

'_ It was just a dream... ' _Naruto looks at the window. It was already morning. He scratches his head.

'_Wait.. Where is Hinata?!'_

Naruto looks around him. He jumps out the bed and runs to the door.

"Hinata!" He screams and hopes to hear her downstairs. Nothing, no voice, no footsteps. Naruto runs down. The windows where closed.

'_She isn't here… She always opens the windows when she is home…_'

Naruto walks to the stairs. "Damn it!" He hits the wall.

'_Why.. Why I'm such an idiot!'_

He opens the bathroom door. Everything all of her stuff, gone.

Naruto rushes back to the bedroom and puts some clothes on, but even before he has a shirt on his eye falls on something white on Hinata's side of the bed.

Naruto slowly puts his shirt on and walks to the bed.

_' Did she wrote this… Why didn't she wake me up.. or put it on a better spot...'_

He thinks as he grabs the note.

He folds it open and at the bottom he sees Hinata's name.

'_ so she did write it… but why…_'

There were teardrops on the paper. Some words were barely readable.

' Dear Naruto,

The last months you haven't been yourself. That what we had, it was really beautiful, but it's not here anymore.

It seems like you found someone else to love. Someone you love more than me. Someone who can give you more than I can.

I hope for you that you will be happy with her.

Or him…

Please forgive me for leaving you behind like this,

But I can't look at you without feeling guilty for not loving you enough, for not giving you the attention you needed.

Please don't come search for me. I will be fine.

It is over between us. So go, and see your lover.

Hinata'


	5. 4 The search for something

Naruto sits down at the kitchen table. A plate filled with food and an empty stomach, but Naruto hasn't touched his breakfast.

_'What should I do? I don't even know what I feel… Why did I dreamed about kissing Sasuke…_'

Naruto stands up and walks to the fridge and grabs the milk.

He grabs a glass and looks aimlessly out the window.

_'I can't just leave… Everybody will get worried… I have to tell someone…'_

Naruto pours the milk in the glass and walks back to the table.

_'But what do I tell them? Hey I'm going to find Sasuke and hope he loves me… I can't say something like that… I can't say that at all…'_

Naruto sits down and drinks some milk.

Naruto sighs as he finishes the dishes. He walks to the door, puts his shoes on and walks out.

Not knowing what to do, not knowing where he was going to, not knowing what to say, he just walked through the village.

He walked past the academy, but he didn't feel like looking at the kids training, like he would usually do.

Dark clouds made the sun disappear and it started to rain. Naruto looks up to the sky and lets the rain pour over his face.

He walks past the abandon playground looks at it, and walks to the swings.

He sits down, completely soaked, and starts to swings wantonly.

"Naruto! Oi~ Naruto!"

Naruto looks up and sees Iruka walking towards him with a umbrella.

"Are you alright? I haven't seen you like this since Jiraiya-sama died… Did something happened?" Iruka says as he holds the umbrella above Naruto to prevent him to even get wetter.

Naruto sniffs as he looks up to Iruka's worried face.

"Hinata and I broke up…"

Naruto looks down as he speaks those words, but looks up when he feels a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it? Or do you just want to sit here and think about it?" Iruka says as he caresses Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto shows a faint smile and looks back at the ground.

" Do you want to go to my place? You can get some dry clothes, something warm to eat. And if you want to I can tell you that everything will be fine in the end, and if it .." Iruka says but Naruto ends his sentence

"And if it isn't good yet, than it isn't the end. I know that. And yet… every time something bad happens.. I get the feeling that everything will only get worse, and that is exactly what is happening right now…"

A tear rolls down Naruto's face.

11:25 AM

Iruka opens the door of his apartment and says: " I will give you some dry clothes and some towels. Just wait here."

Naruto steps into the hall and closes the door behind him.

As Naruto looks around him he sees an old picture. He reaches out for the picture and sees Iruka on it. Naruto grabs it to take a closer look. It looks like a birthday picture from Iruka with his parents, he wasn't older than 10 years there.

"Here you go." Naruto looks up.

Iruka walks back in the hall with some towels and dry clothes. Naruto puts down the picture.

"Thank you." Naruto says as he pulls his shirt off.

"Just put something dry on, then I will make something to eat and some tea." Iruka walks to the kitchen.

'_He saw that I had the picture in my hand… But he didn't say anything about it…_'

Naruto thought as he dries his body with the towels Iruka gave to him.

Naruto walks out the hall and enters a light room. Naruto's jaw dropped as he saw the living room. It wasn't big, but it felt so warm. Maybe it was the colour of the wallpaper or the way everything was lit.

"You know that flies really love warm and wet spaces." Iruka jokes as he walks out the kitchen.

Naruto shuts his mouth and looks at Iruka, who was laughing.

"I didn't know that but thanks. You always know a way to learn me something new every time we meet."

They both laugh for a moment.

"Let's sit down. I guess that it's easier to talk when you don't have to stand all the time." Iruka walks to the couch.

Naruto sits down next to Iruka and takes another look around the room.

'_This is the kind of light I would love to have in my bedroom… Darn it! Why can't I concentrate… It is really not the time to think about lightning.. __**again!**_'

"So what happen, Naruto?" Iruka asks.

Naruto looks at Iruka, who is patiently waiting for an answer.

"This is going to be a long story, so if you still want to drink something you might want to grab it now" Naruto says with a big grin on his face.

Iruka smiles as he stands up "I completely forgot about the tea, and the food. I guess that sometimes people really forget things when there are more important things to worry about." Iruka walks to the kitchen.

"It won't take long, don't worry Naruto." Iruka says as he stands in the kitchen.

Naruto smiles.

_'It feels warm, just to know that he cares about how I feel. He has always been there for me, he will always be there for me! I just know it for sure! I know that for sure just as much that I know that Sasuke is the mysterious man with the red eyes.'_

Iruka comes back into the living room with two cups, a teapot and a plate filled with some snacks.

"So where were we?" He asks as he puts everything on the small table in front of them.

"Hinata was waiting for me again when I got home from a mission. But as you know, I told her not to." Naruto grabs a piece of chocolate.

" Maybe she really wants to be there for you when you get back. Maybe she just wanted to make you feel at home, or she wanted you to feel loved or she just didn't want you to feel lonely when you got home." Iruka says, knowing that Naruto already told him this a couple of times.

"I know… But she needs her sleep too. Anyway, she was again waiting for me in the backroom and she.. kind of wanted to make out…" Naruto stares aimlessly to the table in front of him.

"Naruto, if you don't want to be reminded of it… That's okay, you don't have to talk." Iruka says as he lays his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto smiles briefly.

" I want to talk about it, I want someone I know, to know what happened. But it is complicated…"

"Well, I want to know it. And since you barely have a brain, it's logic that it is complicated." Iruka teased him.

Naruto smiled as he continued.

" I pushed her away, for some reason I just don't…. feel it anymore for her." Naruto paused and Iruka looks surprised.

"The two of you were so in love, did something happen Naruto?"

"It has been going like this for a couple of months. I think since there is a mysterious man walking around by the farmer village…" Naruto grabs a cup and fills it with tea.

_'maybe I should ask Tsunade if I can take a vacation to wave… and just wander around for a while…_'

He looks at it, and puts it down at the table as he continues.

"I think Sasuke is back, I think the mysterious man is Sasuke. It's bothering me, because no one wants to believe me.

And every time Hinata kisses me, for some strange reason, I compare it with the kiss I had years ago with Sasuke…Can it be… What if… What if I have feelings for Sasuke."

Iruka looks at Naruto.

_'What do I tell him? It is really complicated, but it is possible that he loves Sasuke… But Sasuke doesn't love him back, there is no way that Sasuke has the same feelings for Naruto. I don't want Naruto to get hurt, but I don't know what will hurt him more…_

_I mean, come on Iruka! Look at him! The boy you are trying to help… Look at his eyes.. he is so confused, and he needs someone to tell him something that can help him…_

_But that person isn't me.. I don't know this kind of stuff…'_


	6. Part 5 The desicion

Part 5. The decision.

"Naruto, you have lived 3 years long just to get Sasuke back to Konoha. The two of you were, in the end, pretty close. You were like brothers, only not the caring brothers. Maybe you want the mysterious man to be Sasuke so you have something to live for again." Iruka takes a sip from his tea and looks at Naruto, who looks less confused.

"Thank you… for listening, Iruka-sensei." Naruto says as he puts his empty cup back on the table.

"It's okay. I want to know when something is bothering you." Iruka says as he smile to Naruto.

Naruto shows a faint smile.

_'He really cares about me, maybe I should tell him about Sasuke…'_

"Can you give me any advice? I really don't know what to do…" Naruto looks at Iruka, desperate for an answer.

_'What should I tell him… I'm not an expert…_'

"When you have problems with love, well… You shouldn't ask for help. Love is something weird and only the person who has the problem can solve it."

_'But no one can help him, this is something he has to do by himself.'_

"oow…" Naruto looks away. This wasn't the answer he needed right now.

Iruka sighs.

"Look, I really don't know if I can help you. I want to, don't get me wrong." Iruka pauses and looks at Naruto, whom shows a faint smile.

"I hate to see you in pain and I really wish that I could help you with your problem. But I can't."

Iruka lays his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"I guess… that I should be going home then… Again, thank you Iruka." Naruto stands up from the couch and walks to the door.

Iruka stands up. '_I have to say something! Think Iruka, think! Don't let him walk away without saying anything that may help him!' _

"Maybe you should take a break and ask Tsunade if you are allowed to leave for a few weeks. It may help you, to… empty your head, to stop worrying about things here in the village, and to create some time for you to figure out your problem." Iruka looks at Naruto, who has turned around.

Naruto walks out the front door, not saying anything to Iruka.

Tsunade sits at her desk, "working" , as she hears someone coming.

She quickly puts 3 scrolls at the drawer of her desk and opens a mission file.

There was no knocking. The door opens and before Tsunade can even get angry Naruto has already taken a seat.

"Naruto..." Tsunade says surprised as she sees de teary face.

Naruto sighs and looks out the window.

Tsunade says nothing, she was shocked to see him like this.

The boy, no. The man who will be Hokage in a couple of months. What broke him, was right now the only question Tsunade wanted an answer on.

"I need some advice, baa-chan…" Naruto says as he wiped away his tears.

"Naruto…" Tsunade looks at the crying boy, she sighs.

"What is the matter boy?" She says in a motherly way.

Naruto smiles faintly and wipes his nose as he starts to explain what happened.

"And that is actually all that happened yesterday..."

Naruto stops talking.

Tsunade looks questionable. "So, simple said, the two of you broke up because you don't feel the passion anymore."

Naruto nods and Tsunade sighs.

"Do you have any advice? Because I really don't know what I should do… I'm not even sure if I feel something for Sasuke "

Naruto lays his head on Tsunade's desk.

"Naruto, It must be difficult to be so confused right now. But the situation you are in, it is weird. The two of you have been together for ages. And you always cared a lot about Sasuke." Tsunade stops for a moment just to see Naruto lifting his head and see a tear roll down his face.

"You always wanted him to be there with you, you wanted him to admire you as someone out of his league."

"Baa-chan… I really have no idea what you are trying to tell me… Al I know right now, is that I feel something for him, and I feel like he is everything for me." Naruto sighs and looks out the window.

It had started to rain again.

"Naruto, stop whining like a little girl and listen to me!" Tsunade slams her desk , raises her voice and stands up.

"If you want to know how you really feel, you have to find Sasuke. And if he is alive you will just have to stay with him. Maybe you will find the thing you are looking for and then you have your answer, but I said maybe."

Tsunade lower her voice as she sat back at her chair.

Naruto didn't know what to say.

"If you don't find what you are looking for, I want you to be back in the village in three weeks. I don't want to lose you to some stupid criminals, or any other person. Just let me know if he is what you are looking for." Tsunade looks at Naruto, who feels relieved by the speech, and smiles.

Naruto swallows away some tears as he replies: " But I can't just leave! What about the missions with team 7? What about my missions with Kiba and Akamaru? What about the academy? What about the new genins?"

_'He always cares more about others than about himself. It really is time for him to take a vacation. Sure… everybody will miss him, but this has to be done. Not for the sake of Konoha, but for the sake of Naruto's Happiness!'_

"Naruto, I'll make a file for you. And make it look like you are on a mission. I'll make it an ANBU mission." Tsunade grabs some papers and starts to write.

"Why would you make it an ANBU mission? I'm not even part of ANBU. Wouldn't that look suspicious?" Naruto asks as he stands up and walks to the window.

"Naruto… I can't believe I will really leave this village in your hands… An ANBU mission file is a file that only the kage is allowed to read, and only the kage who gave the mission." Tsunade swiftly looks away from the file, just to get a glimpse of Naruto.

_'Will I find what I'm looking for? Can I even find Sasuke? That is a better question…_

_I have to! Without him… I don't know what to do…_

_I will find him! And I will talk with him. I have to do this!'_

"Thank you, baa-chan." Naruto says as he turns around with a smile on his face.

" You better get some stuff to travel."

"Yes, ma'am!" Naruto walks to the door but he stops when Tsunade says something.

"Naruto! Don't take too much with you and leave most of your ninja equipment here. You won't need to much."

Naruto nods as he walks out and closes the door behind him.

_'Will it be a good idea to let him travel without anyone watching him? What if Sasuke lives? What if Sasuke tries to kill Naruto?!_

_No! I will believe in Naruto, and if he believes that Sasuke is no danger for the world, than I will trust him!'_


End file.
